


Canned Heat

by tarthiana



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ballet, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ballet, Cersei and Jaime Are Not Related, F/M, Yes this is a Center Stage AU, dance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:20:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23926813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tarthiana/pseuds/tarthiana
Summary: Large, muscular, strikingly tall and unfair of face, Brienne did not have the ideal body type of a ballet dancer. She didn’t have the ideal anything. But she was determined and strong and stubborn enough not to give up, and now she was finally enrolled at the most prestigious ballet academy in all the seven kingdoms.
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Comments: 56
Kudos: 126





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hillaryschu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hillaryschu/gifts).



> This is all because hillaryschu and I love a very cheesy ballet movie. Thank you [elizadunc (ladybugbear2)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladybugbear2) for betaing this!
> 
> [Mood board by hillaryschu.](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hillaryschu/pseuds/hillaryschu)

This was it. The final audition for the Westerosi Ballet Academy. Every late night, every nasty bruise, every excruciating, pain-inducing moment had led to _this._

Only 12 dancers in the entire country would be selected for the 2020 class of the prestigious program, which fed directly into the Westerosi Ballet Company. It was a coveted position for thousands of aspiring ballerinas, one of whom was Brienne Tarth.

Large, muscular, strikingly tall and unfair of face, Brienne did not have the ideal body type of a ballet dancer. She didn’t have the ideal _anything_. But she was determined and strong and stubborn enough not to give up when she was bullied by unkind peers or sneered at by close minded instructors. Her body was a tool – and sometimes even a weapon – for expression.

Technique, physical prowess – these were Brienne’s strengths. She could dance on pointe for hours, leap through the air like a gazelle, and engage her core muscles to turn out with ease. When the music played, she transformed from an awkward 18-year-old into a being of pure grace and poise. It was next to impossible to look away from.

“She’s too big,” a brunette scout whispered to her colleague. “No one would be able to lift her.”

“And that unfortunate face,” he whispered back. “But… _look at her_.”

Entranced, the scouts forgot to write their notes, and Brienne was soon on her way to the most renowned ballet school in the seven kingdoms.

* * *

King’s Landing was much louder than Tarth, much, _much_ louder. Honking cars lined the busy streets of a bustling metropolis. It also smelled worse than Brienne’s island home, but her father had told her she would get used to the city stench.

Lifting her bags with ease, Brienne crossed the street to her new dorm and was almost hit by a motorcycle in the crosswalk. With a venomous glare, Brienne watched the biker park on the sidewalk of the academy and remove his helmet. His shining golden locks bounced as he shook them out – seemingly in slow motion.

“Sorry, didn’t see you there,” he said with a smirk, his handsome face perfectly glowing from the light of the sun.

“Watch where you’re going next time,” Brienne huffed.

“Need help with your bags, _sweetling_?” he mockingly purred.

“ _No._ ”

* * *

“Girl, you fucked up,” Brienne’s roommate laughed after their first class was over.

Sulking, Brienne followed Asha and Meera to the cafeteria. It had been going fine – she had just nailed the simple choreography the instructor had explained, but then _he_ showed up, looking sinfully good in sweatpants and a red tank top. _That bastard._

With his eyes on her, Brienne could barely do a proper arabesque. Only after did Brienne learn that the handsome stranger was Jaime Lannister.

A talented dancer with a notorious reputation, Jaime had left the Westerosi Ballet Company more than a year prior after a very public break up with Cersei Baratheon, the star ballerina of the company. She’d left him for Rhaegar Targaryen, owner and creative director. It was all very dramatic.

“They looked so perfect together,” Asha sighed. “It was a total shock when she left him. I wouldn’t kick Jaime Lannister out of my bed.”

“He is a snack,” Meera agreed, nodding her head.

Jaime had cut his hair and was priming a beard, giving him a rugged allure. He was supposed to be in Essos dancing for the season and fucking anyone who could get into his dressing room.

“I heard he hasn’t talked to anyone since his return to Westeros,” Asha said.

Brienne rolled her eyes and said, “That jerk talked to me.”

Meera and Asha stared at her in shocked silence. “I mean, he almost ran me over with his motorcycle and then asked if I needed help carrying my bags,” she grumbled.

Brienne’s roommates held in their giggles.

* * *

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. Everyday Brienne danced – and soon her feet had the scars to prove it. The instructors at the academy truly didn’t know what to do with her. She obviously had skill, but she was just so big that many of them stuck her in the back of the class, unwilling to put extra time into someone who couldn’t fit their mold.

Pa de deux class was a nightmare. Towering over every single dancer, she had been the object of hushed ridicule and scorn, and she was stuck with Hyle Hunt as a partner. He was a head shorter than her and always made a big show about trying to lift her.

It was humiliating.

Lifting Hyle with ease into the air had shut him – and their classmates – up.

“See, it’s not so hard when you’re strong enough,” she hissed at him, face red with anger.

After that, Hyle had at least _attempted_ to be a better partner.

* * *

The student workshop performance loomed over Brienne. It would be the final thing she did as a student of the academy. It would make or break her future career. Dance companies from across the country would be in attendance, ready to offer jobs to the graduating class.

She would never get an offer if she couldn’t be seen.

Every ballet class brought on more anxiety, and soon Brienne felt like popped bubble wrap. Meera, having come home after class to find Brienne uncharacteristically sprawled face-down on the couch, suggested that she take another dance class to clear her head.

“Anything but ballet,” she smiled at Brienne. “There is a place downtown that I like to go.”

“Isn’t it against the rules to take other classes?” Brienne asked, inwardly rolling her eyes at her own timidity.

Meera only laughed and texted her the address.

The dance studio was brightly lit by neon signs, and the sheer size of it made it very easy to find, which Brienne appreciated. In an uncharacteristically bold decision, she had signed up for a hip-hop class. The hip-hop class itself was simple, and Brienne was pleased to find that she was the first one there. Tying her white blonde hair into a ponytail, she began to stretch, warming up her shoulder muscles. As she lunged to wake up her legs, Jaime Lannister walked into the studio.

He spotted her immediately and smirked. Looking beautiful as ever, he was adorned in athletic pants and a deep V neck t-shirt that showed off some of his golden chest hair. Comparatively, Brienne felt like she was dressed in ratty sweats.

He glided toward her, but the hip-hop instructor called the attention of the class before he could make any remarks.

“Hello, I am your instructor Syrio,” the fit man said. “Tonight, we will be learning choreography, but there will also be room for some freestyle. Don’t think – just dance.”

So she did, and it was marvelous. By the end of the class, she was laying on the floor, breathing heavily in exhaustion. And, turning her head, it looked like Jaime was doing the same not far from her. The joy felt from just moving her body anyway she pleased left Brienne glowing. She was well matched for hip-hop – strength, balance, and endurance were qualities needed for popping, locking, and the other more intricate styles.

“You were really great in there,” Jaime told her after the class had ended.

“Thanks,” she said, blushing and averting her eyes.

“I’ve seen you around the academy.”

“Well I am there most of the time,” Brienne mumbled.

“Has anyone ever told you that your leg muscles are _insane_?” Jaime asked, eyes sharp.

Cringing, she nodded her head.

“They would look great wrapped around my waist,” he said in a quiet, husky voice.

Brienne stared at him then, mouth agape. He couldn’t be serious. Was Jaime Lannister actually flirting with her?

“Have you eaten dinner?” he asked.

“Yes…”

“Dessert?” he asked again, his tone hopeful.

Brienne shook her head, and Jaime extended his hand to her. She took it, and the two left the studio on his motorcycle. Circling his waist, Brienne pressed her body against his. The heat of the bike and the feel of Jaime’s hard muscles underneath his leather jacket made her giddy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [I'm on Tumblr](http://www.bussdowntarthiana.tumblr.com)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you [elizadunc (ladybugbear2)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladybugbear2) for betaing this!

His apartment was large but sparse, with minimal furniture and next to no decor. Large windows gave a striking view of the city skyline.

“I wouldn’t have taken you for a minimalist,” Brienne said offhandedly.

“Oh?” Jaime whispered in ear after approaching her from behind, threading his arms through hers and resting his hands possessively on her hips. “What were you imagining?”

“I thought you would be surrounded by finery,” she said breathlessly. “A golden dragon.”

He chuckled, and Brienne could feel the vibration. She sighed as his warm hands traveled from her hips up her torso to palm at her small breasts over her shirt and sports bra. 

“I am surrounded by the finer things in life,” Jaime murmured. “For right now, at least.”

Kissing the back of her neck, he pressed his body into her, the hardness against Brienne’s ass unmistakable. She tried not to gasp, but her mind was occupied, and her body was on fire. She wanted him – in a way that was more than she could put words to.

“Can I?” he asked, tugging on the hem of her shirt.

“Yes,” she whispered unevenly.

Gently, he discarded her sweaty T-shirt and pulled down her pants. Brienne took off her bra and underwear herself. Running a hand from her neck to her pubis, Jaime hummed in appreciation.

“Your freckles,” he said before kissing her collarbone. “They really do go all the way down.”

The way he said it – in wonder and not disgust – made her heart swell, and she grabbed his shoulders and pulled him into a bruising kiss. His clothes were in a pile on the floor soon after.

On the bed, the two wrapped around each other like ivy on a weirwood. Jaime was on top of her, his weight a pleasant sensation. They kissed with vigor, but she was still unsure about touching him. Taking a pink nipple into his mouth, Jaime sucked, and she cried out.

“You can touch me,” he whispered hoarsely.

Blushing, she ran her fingers through his golden blonde hair and gripped him close. Her hands moved down his sculpted body and settled on his firm ass. Giving it an experimental squeeze, she watched Jaime’s face intently. He exhaled a shaky breath while maintaining eye contact, his cock brushing against the thatch of hair between her legs.

He was so hard, and it was for _her_.

Moving down the bed, Jaime settled between Brienne’s legs, pulling them apart to expose her glistening cunt. She flushed red – her arousal plain for him to see and smell. He hovered over her, lightly blowing and earned a small whimper from Brienne. Then, with the confidence that could only come with experience, he circled her clit with his tongue. Crying out, Brienne tried to flail her limbs, but she was held down firmly.

He lapped at her wetness, fucking her with his tongue and teasing her clit while she panted and moaned in pleasure. Gently, he took a finger and dipped it into her.

“More,” she pleaded.

He obliged, and soon Brienne was arching her back and gasping. The stimulation from both Jaime’s tongue and fingers brought her to a mind-numbing orgasm in what seemed like no time at all.

Brienne hazily wondered if all orgasms were supposed to feel like that, or if Jaime was just some sex god who had decided to grace her with his prowess.

He reached up to kiss her before rolling to the side of the bed to retrieve a condom. The kiss was musky from her arousal, and it made her stomach swoop in delicious excitement. Though he was only gone for a moment, Brienne missed the heat and weight of his body as it was fitted against hers. He was like the sun – beautiful, warm, golden, terrifying.

As soon as he was in reach, Brienne wrapped a large hand around his length. Gasping, Jaime moved his hips ever so slightly, relishing the feel of his cock sliding against her palm. Like the rest of his body, it was warm and velvety and becoming more flushed by the second. 

“Are you ready?” he asked, searching her eyes for an answer.

“Yes,” Brienne breathed. “I need you, now.”

Rolling on the condom, Jaime wasted no time and plunged into her with a hard thrust. Both dancers cried out in ecstasy. They fit together like lock and key – perfect complements to one another. As they moved together, Brienne could feel the building pressure at the apex of her thighs.

Jaime wasn’t rough, but he wasn’t treating her delicately either. His grip on her thighs kept her in a slightly upturned position, which allowed his cock to sink into her more deeply. Even thrusts of his hardness rubbed against something deep inside her that caused such intense pleasure Brienne was sure she would soon pop like a soap bubble.

“Your pussy feels amazing,” he grunted as the sound of slapping skin echoed in the empty apartment. “Look at me, please. Your eyes…”

With the courage of a woman being ravished, Brienne brought her astonishing blue eyes to Jaime’s sharp green ones.

With a pained look, his hips became erratic. He slammed into her with force now as they both chased release. It was so much – Jaime’s intense stare, his tight grip on her legs, the way he pounded her cunt like his life depended upon it. He peaked with a groan and fell on top of Brienne, who was still buzzing.

Withdrawing from inside her, Jaime once again put his mouth to her. She felt apart soon after.

They didn't spend much time on pillow talk after, but they did spoon despite the stickiness of their sweaty bodies. Jaime gave Brienne a ride back to her dorm late in the night on the back of his motorcycle. As they rode, she could feel her heart pounding and lips tingling.

He left without saying goodbye, and Brienne knew she was millimetres away from falling head over heels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does ivy grow on weirwood trees? idk


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you [elizadunc (ladybugbear2)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ladybugbear2) again for betaing this!

Brienne saw her name on the casting list but didn’t register the implication of it for a couple of seconds.

> **Canned Heat: A New Ballet by Jaime Lannister**   
> Principal - Brienne Tarth   
> Principal - Hyle Hunt   
> Principal - Theon Greyjoy   
> Ensemble - Gendry Rivers, Josmyn Peckledon, Dickon Tarly, Quentyn Martell, Aurane Waters, Jeyne Poole, Alys Karstark, Obara Sand, Eleyna Westerling, Mya Stone

She was going to be a principal dancer in a brand new ballet! Heart racing, Brienne floated back to her dorm room. This was what she had dreamed about - a way to showcase her talents in the warm glow of a spotlight. 

Meera and Asha came back to the room, chatting animatedly about the student showcase.

“Brienne, congratulations,” Meera said warmly. “Getting the lead in Lannister’s new ballet is so amazing!”

“Good luck with rehearsals,” Asha laughed. “You are going to have to be up close and personal with Hunt and Lannister. Try not to kill them or my brother.”

The joy drained out of her like water in a bathtub.

_He gave you the part because you fucked him_ , a cruel voice whispered to her.

No. There was no other dancer as technically skilled as her in the academy. She earned this role.

_It doesn’t matter. As long as you are in his bed, you won’t be taken seriously. You’ll never get a job, and your best dancing years will be wasted._

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Brienne left her room to clear her head.

* * *

It was best that she stop whatever was happening between them before it became too painful. Dancing would always be the most important thing in Brienne’s life - not a man or some relationship. So when the dancer found herself backstage watching Jaime and Cersei perform a perfectly playful rendition of Stars and Stripes, she tried to keep her emotions in check.

He was as light as a feather - performing fouetté after flawless fouetté - entrancing the audience with his golden beauty. When he exited stage left for Cersei’s solo, he spotted Brienne and grinned. Out of breath and sweating, he simply waved to her. With a weak smile, she returned the gesture and mouthed “after” to Jaime.

* * *

As Cersei and Jaime took their final bow, the ballerina sharpened her eyes at her co-star.

“You’re in trouble,” she hissed through her teeth, waving at the crowd gracefully. “Mooning over that cow, really Jaime?”

“You don’t have a say in my life anymore,” Jaime said with equal distaste.

* * *

Brienne waited outside of the Westeros Ballet Center, wringing her hands together nervously.

“Hey!” Jaime said as he approached her.

Leaning in to kiss her plush lips, he was stopped by Brienne’s hand.

“Sorry,” she mumbled. “I...I don’t think we should see each other any more.”

Shock and heartbreak rippled across his face. “Why?” he asked quietly.

“I can’t be the lead in your ballet _and_ sleep with you,” Brienne said with watery eyes.

“Surely you must know that I didn’t cast you because we fucked.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said bitterly. “We’re over.”

“Brienne, wait-” Jaime said and grabbed her wrist in a futile attempt to stop her from fleeing.

Freeing herself from his grip, she gathered up all the hurt and longing deep inside her and let it go like a balloon on a windy day. Then, she walked away.

* * *

Rehearsal was tense, for everyone involved. Hyle irritated Jaime to his wit’s end, Theon’s movements were stiff, and Brienne was undeniably distracted.

After a few weeks of little progress, Jaime lost his cool.

“It’s about sex, Theon!” he shouted. “I know you two have done that activity before!”

“Excuse me?” Brienne replied, face red with anger. “What the fuck is that suppossed to mean?”

“He needs to hold you close to his body,” Jaime spat, grabbing Brienne’s leg and wrapping it around his hip. “ _Like this._ Look at how I’m holding her, Theon.”

Now Brienne was blushing from anger and arousal.

Dropping her leg, Jaime ordered the three to start from the beginning on stage right.

“Yesterday, I was stage left,” Brienne said in a low tone. “Today, I’m stage right. What will I be tomorrow?”

“You’ll be where I say,” he hissed.

As this heated exchange took place, Olenna Tyrell sat off to the side of the room fanning herself and enjoying the drama on display. The old woman’s presence had become a regular occurrence at rehearsal. She was a well-known patron of the arts with very deep pockets and had taken a shine to Jaime Lannister.

When Brienne left the room in a huff, Olenna tittered. Hyle followed her out.

“Tarth, he’s a jerk, and he shouldn’t have said that,” he said gently. “I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but this is too important to fuck up. Go back in there, and make him eat his words.”

With a small smile, Brienne agreed, and when she came back, she nailed the choreography with a determination intense enough to light the studio on fire.

* * *

Three days before the student workshop, Theon came out of a turn too quickly and sprained his ankle. To a dancer about to make his debut, it was devastating. The doctor ordered six weeks of recovery, just enough time to ruin his entire career.

Asha, Meera, Hyle, and Brienne had tried to comfort their classmate with assurances that he could always remain at the academy, but Theon brushed them off with stony acceptance of his fate.

“Break a leg you two,” he said to Brienne and Hyle as they left his dorm room. “For me.”

With no understudy, Jaime made the decision to play Theon’s part. Who else knew the choreography better than the man who created it?

_I’m going to be dancing with Jaime Lannister_ , Brienne thought, and her heart skipped a beat, even now after _everything_.

* * *

“Hey,” Jaime said, shaking out his arms and sucking in a breath with what seemed like nerves to Brienne. They were a half hour from showtime. “I know things have been... _heated_ between us,” he continued. “But I want you to know, I think you are the most incredible dancer I have ever seen, in addition to being an amazing woman.”

“Jaime…” she whispered. “I…”

“You don’t have to say anything, really. I just wanted you to know.”

She held in her tears, not wanting to redo her stage makeup. “After. Let’s talk after.”

He agreed, a smile gracing his lips. “Knock ‘em dead, Brienne.”

* * *

Thunderous applause, that was all Brienne could hear at curtain call. Dizzy from the 15 consecutive pirouettes, she held on to both Hyle and Jaime’s hands as they bowed.

_They did it._ Each one of them danced their heart out and left it on that stage. The rush of adrenaline and euphoria was almost too much.

Jaime placed a warm hand on Brienne’s hip, and she sunk into his embrace, giggling. He led her to a private area. When they were finally alone, she kissed him. 

“Brienne,” he whispered through kisses. “I have news.”

“Hmm?” she hummed against his lips.

“I’m starting my own company,” he said, giddy with excitement.

“What?!”

“Ollena Tyrell is backing it. _My_ _own company_ , Brienne!”

“Congratulations, Jaime,” she breathed. “You deserve it, truly.”

“You have to come with me. You’ll be my muse, my star.”

“But I ruined what we had. I’m a good dancer, but as a girlfriend, I kinda suck.”

“I want you, Brienne Tarth, stubbornness and all.”

She didn’t have to think about it when she answered, “ _Yes."_

* * *

It was easy to turn Rhaegar Targaryen down when she had an offer from Jaime.

“Please, don’t,” she told the director gently. “I don’t want to know if you’ll have me in the Westeros Ballet Company, because I don’t know if I will have the strength to say ‘no.’ My entire life I wanted to be one of WBC’s perfect ballerinas, but...I’m not perfect. I’m just me. Thank you for turning me into the best dancer I can be, because the best dancer I can be, is a principal in Jaime Lannister’s new company.”

Rhaegar stood in stunned silence as Brienne left the room. She joined the rest of her peers in the atrium of the center. Everyone was buzzing from their performances.

“Brienne Tarth!” Hyle exclaimed, handing her a red flower. “Principal dancer, and overall badass!”

The crowd cheered, and one by one gave Brienne a flower until she held enough for a lush bouquet.

Jaime stood on the balcony, eyeing her with delight. She looked up at him, heart swelling, and he mouthed “after” at her with a knowing smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it's safe to say that I don't know anything about ballet, but I do enjoy a good campy ballet movie.

**Author's Note:**

> [I'm on Tumblr](http://www.bussdowntarthiana.tumblr.com)


End file.
